Before the holidays I completed the Kidde Home Safety Challenge. It took about ten minutes after the kids were in bed. I was curious to learn if I am doing everything I can to keep us safe at home. I scored 75% on the audit; most things I am doing correctly to keep my family safe–and this is great news. But any omission is a problem of course. I am resolving to address our issues as soon as possible. In 2013, we will have a “worry-free home.”

A few things I’ll be working on as part of our short- and long-term fire safety preparedness:

From Thanksgiving into the new year, I leave our Christmas tree lights plugged in. All the time. While we are in bed, when we leave the apartment. I never even think of unplugging them. (We have a fake tree, which presents less of a risk for fire.) I so love the lights. And now I will love them while they are off too.

We haven’t changed our smoke alarm batteries this year. We were going to–my husband got the step stool, went to lift the cover of the alarm on the wall, and then we couldn’t find new batteries. This was in October (Daylight Savings), and we haven’t thought of it again.

We have one smoke alarm. It is outside our bedrooms in the hallway. It is recommended that we have alarms inside the sleeping areas as well.

We do not have an emergency fire exit plan. We live in a fire-proof brick building, but we have no plan to escape if there were a fire in our apartment. Molly recently had an educational visit from a firefighter to her kindergarten classroom. She came home with many questions about what would happen if our apartment had a fire. She asked what would happen if she woke up and couldn’t find us. Because I was so terrified by that thought, I told her that of course we’d find her. Because it is impossible to even think otherwise. But it is both cruel and true–the worst can indeed happen. I am going to make a plan for our family that our children can understand.

It is, in so many ways, a relief to know that there are things we can do to prevent fires and to prevent injury from fires at home. We cannot control all things in life, and there are dangers for which we cannot prepare. Fire safety, however, can be planned for; and for this, I am extremely grateful.

{CLOSED}Giveaway! Here is what makes me the happiest: Kidde will send one of my readers its new Worry-Free Kitchen Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (a $48 value). The alarm uses one battery over its lifetime to provide 24/7 fire safety protection–you will never hear those annoying low-battery chirps.

Here is what you must do to enter: Answer the questions on the survey (it will not take more than 15 minutes) and leave a single comment below on this post about one area of your home you learned needs attention.

The giveaway will end January 19, 2013, at 11:59 ET. A winner will be selected through random.org.

Kidde is providing me with compensation and one of my readers with a Worry-Free Kitchen Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm. All opinions are my own.